“I am privileged to be principal of this young, growing, dynamic school while I live out my dream,” said Darren de Gouviea-Smith, Trinityhouse Palm Lakes’ energetic new principal of both the preparatory and high schools.
After working as a supply teacher in the UK, De Gouviea-Smith said that while the British education system has many benefits, the experience was “challenging” because of issues of discipline in the country’s state schools.
“The UK made me appreciate the way traditional South African schools are run,” he said.
“It made me a stronger person, as I use the experience to reflect.”
When asked how he views the level of education in other local schools, De Gouviea-Smith said: “There is a healthy competition of good, well respected schools in the area, which is promising.”
While he is positive about the level of education in this country, he also voiced some concerns about the standards of the Department of Education.
“A lack of teachers in state schools and not enough continuity in leadership in both schools and universities has created an economic need for both government and private education.”
When asked whether the emergence of private schools was the result of an emergency in state schools, the new Trinityhouse principal said that there was a place for both sectors in this country.
“The strategic planning processes we have in place aim at achieving sustained growth over five year intervals.”
Brand new classrooms, gym facilities and sports fields are just some of the development plans De Gouviea-Smith has for the school as it enters its third year of operation on the North Coast.
On the national curriculum, he identified the need for key focus areas in languages, mathematics and science, coupled with IT and technology.
“It is imperative that our children are more than computer literate as everything has become digital.” He also highlighted the important need for all schools to teach African languages like, for example – Zulu and Xhosa.
“I believe our children should be exposed and encouraged to learn African languages like isiZulu as it is essential for our community as well as our economy.”
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